Joint assembly for a feeler gage blade holder

ABSTRACT

A feeler gage arrangement in which blades of varying thicknesses may be easily inserted into and removed from a holder. The blades are stacked on a fixed pin threaded at one end. A sleeve is freely slidable along the length of the pin and is threaded at one end to mate with the thread of the pin. The blades are securely held when the internal thread of the sleeve mates with the thread of the pin. A spring releases rapidly the sleeve from the pin, and thereby the blades, when the sleeve is unthreaded from the pin.

[ 1 June 11, 1974 1 JOINT ASSEMBLY FOR A FEELER GAGE BLADE HOLDER [75] Inventor: Michael DiRago, Holbrook, NY.

[73] Assignee: Ogar Manufacturing Corp.,

Holbrook, NY.

[22] Filed: Sept. 5, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 286,285 3 52] us. on. 403/157, 24/263 SB, 24/263 LS, 151/69, 33/168 R, 403/166 51 1m. Cl B25g 3/38 [58] Field of Search 287/100, 103 A; 33/168 R, 33/181; 24/263 A, 263 LS, 263 SB, 201 R, 221 R; 403/146, 154, 156, 161, 157, 166; 151/69 2,237,378 4/1941 Thienemann 33/168 R 2,614,306 10/1952 Dzus 24/221 R 2,659,122 11/1953 Golubics 24/221 R 3,594,876 7/1971 Gunther 24/221 R .Primary Examiner.lames R. Boler Assistant Examiner-Conrad L. Berman [57] ABSTRACT A feeler gage arrangement in which blades of varying thicknesses may be easily inserted into and removed from a holder. The blades are stacked on a fixed pin threaded at one end. A sleeve is freely slidable along the length of the pin and is threaded at one end to mate with the thread of the pin. The blades are securely held when the internal thread of the sleeve mates with the thread of the pin. A spring releases rapidly the sleeve from the pin, and thereby the blades, when the sleeve is unthreaded from the pin.

7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,099,758 6/1914 Nichols 287/100 2,151,255 3/1939 Witchger 151/69 JOINT ASSEMBLY FOR A FEELER GAGE BLADE HOLDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the-use and application of feeler gages, it is'desirable to have a device in which the feeler gage blades may be readily and rapidly removed from a holder for use, and thereafter rapidly and easily inserted back into the holder for storage. Since a large number of bladesare usually involved in a feeler gage, it is particu larly important that the blades may be inserted into the holder in their appropriate locations without disturbing the other blades within the holder. At the same time, it is desirable that the blades be easily found and readily removed from the holder for use.

I-Ieretofore, feeler gage devices have been complex in design and difficult to use. The design and construction has been such, in the past, that upon inserting a blade that has previously been used, other blades within the holding device would drop out of the holder and would then have to be reinserted. At the same time, blades could not be easily located in proper sequence of thicknesses. Removal of blades for use, was also not readily accomplished in thepast. The blades were not rapidly released from the holder, and searching for a desired blade was difficult. The operation of the device for inserting and removal of the blades, moreover, was substantially involved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a feeler gage arrangement in which blades may be easily removed from the device for use, and then readily inserted back into the device for convenient storage.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an arrangement of the foregoing character which is simple in design and construction.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a feeler gage arrangement, as set forth, which may be readily fabricated and easily assembled.

The objects of the present invention are achieved by providing a U-shaped holder in which a fixed pin is held within one of the arms of the holder. The pin is threaded at one end over which a sleeve slides freely along the pin and passes through an opening of the other arm of the holder. A spring between the holder and a shoulder of the sleeve urges the sleeve to be moved from the pin. One end of the sleeve is also internally threaded to mate with the threads on the pin. When the two threads are mated, the spring is compressed and the blades are held securely within the holder. Upon unthreading of the sleeve from the pin, the spring urges the two threaded parts to be moved apart, and the blades may be freely removed or inserted into the holder.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a plan view of an assembled feeler gage holder and blades, in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the feeler gage arrangement of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of the arrangement of FIG. 2, in which the feeler gage holder is in the state for freely allowing insertion or removal of blades;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a feeler gage blade, in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is another embodiment of the blades of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawing, the feeler gage arrangement, in accordance with the present invention, has a holder 10 with arms 12 and 14 assembled together to form a U-shaped structure. A spacer element 16 separates fixedly the arms 12 and 14. The spacer 16 is fixed to both the arms 12 and 14. A hole or opening 18 may be provided through the spacer 16 and both arms 12 and 14 for the purpose of decreasing the weight of the structure, as well as providing for easy assembly of the structure in fabrication.

The arm 14 holds, at its free end, a pin 20 having a head 20a. The pin 20 may be press fitted into an opening in the arm 14. At the same time, the pin 20 may be secured to the arm 14 by any one of the conventional methods of fastening as, for example, welding, brazing, soldering, etc. The free end of the pin 20 is threaded for a part of its length, by the thread 20b. Passing axially over the length of the pin, is a sleeve 22 having a head portion or cap portion 22a. The internal diameter of the sleeve 22 is greater than the external diameter of the pin 20 so that the sleeve 22 may slide freely along the length of the pin 20. The end of the sleeve 22b is rolled over to form an opening which is smaller than the threaded portion 20b. In this manner, the sleeve 22 is prevented from becoming disengaged or separated entirely from the pin 20.

The head portion 22a of the sleeve 22, has an internal threaded opening 24. This threaded opening 24 mates with the threaded portion 20b when the sleeve 22 is moved along the pin 20 so that the two threaded portions 20b and 24 become engaged. A spring 26 in the form of a compression spring, abuts with one end against a shoulder 28 of the sleeve 22, and against the arm 12 at its other end. When the threaded portion or opening 24 is not mated with the threaded portion 20b, a spring 26 urges the two parts 20 and 22 to move apart to the extent where the rolled over end 22b comes into contact with the threaded portion 20b.

When the feeler gage arrangement is in the position shown in FIG. 3, the sleeve 22 is released from the pin 20, and the blade shown in FIG. 4 may be easily inserted into the holder or removed therefrom. The feeler gage blade 30 has a drilled opening 30a in combination with a slot 30b. To insert the blade 30 into the holder, the blade 30 is moved so that the slot 3012 first passes the body of the pin 20, and the pin then passes through the opening or hole 30a. The hole or opening 30a is made conveniently larger than the outside diameter of the pin 20 so that the blade may be readily inserted and stacked along the pin 20. After all of the desired blades have been stacked adjacently along the axial length of the pin 20, the user of the feeler gage arrangement presses against the head 22a so that the sleeve 22 slides along the length of the pin 20 to the extent that the thread 24 comes into contact with the threaded portion 20b. Thereafter the user rotates the head 22a so that the internal threaded opening 24 is securely threaded onto the portion 20b. With the sleeve 22 thus threaded onto the pin 20, the blades 30 are prevented from dropping out or becoming released from the holder. For this purpose, the slot 301; is made smaller than the external diameter of the sleeve 22, while at the same time this slot 30b is larger in width than the external diameter of the pin 20. After the sleeve 22 has been properly threaded onto a pin 20, all of the blades, such as the blade 30 which are stacked along the length of the pin 20 may be rotated so that they are conveniently held within the space 100 formed by the U-shaped design of the holder.

To remove one or more of the blades thereafter for use, the blades may be readily pushed out of the space 10a by having the user'insert one of his fingers into the cutout 32. This cutout 32 is provided on both arms 12 and 14. By inserting a finger into this cutout, the blades stacked along the pin 20 are pushed out of the space 10a so that the user may then rotate the blades into the position shown in FIG. 2. After the blades have been rotated in this position shown in FIG. 2, the user can then simply rotate the head 22a, so that the sleeve 22 becomes released from the threaded portion 20b. Any one or more of the blades can then be selectively removed from the holder for use.

For the purpose of facilitating particularly easy insertion and removal of the feeler gage blades, the design of FIG. will be used. ln this embodiment the blade 34 has a drilled or substantially circular opening 34a which is similar to the opening 30a in the embodiment of HO. 4. The slot 34b, however, is tapered so as to permit the blade to be pushed readily over the body of the pin 20. Thus, with the design of FIG. 5, the user is not required to locate precisely the slot 34b in relation to the external diameter of the pin 20.

Although the combination of the pin 20, sleeve 22, and holder have been described for use and application of a feeler gage arrangement, this assembly of elements can also be used as mechanical couplings or connections in the form of a boat with car trailer connection, for example.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of rapid release and engagement couplings, differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in rapid release and engagement couplings, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, sincevarious modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A joint arrangement for pivotally joining two elements comprising, in combination, a substantially elongated member with first fastening means at one end;

sleeve-shaped means movable along the length of said elongated member and having second fastening means engageable with said first fastening means; and spring means in contact with the external surface of said sleeve-shaped means and urging said second fastening means to be spaced at a predetermined distance from said first fastening means, the external surface along the axis of said elongated member being exposed when said first fastening means is spaced from said second fastening means, said external surface of said elongated member being substantially within said sleeve-shaped means when said first fastening means is engaged with said second fastening means, the external surface of said sleeveshaped means having a greater dimension than the external surface of said elongated member, said elongated member comprising a pin-shaped member, said first fastening means comprises a threaded portion at one end of said pin-shaped member, said sleeve-shaped means having a head-shaped portion, said second fastening means comprising a threaded portion within said head portion of said sleeve-shaped means, one end of said sleeve-shaped means having an opening smaller in diameter than said threaded portion of said first fastening means for abutting against said first fastening means when said first fastening means is spaced from said second fastening means at said predetermined distance, for preventing the disengagement of said elongated member from said sleeve-shaped means.

2. The arrangement as defined in claim 1 including holder means for fixedly holding said elongated member.

3. The arrangement as defined in claim 2 wherein said spring means comprises a compression spring abutting at one end said holder means.

4. The arrangement as defined in claim 1 including blade-shaped means having an opening passing over the exterior of said elongated member a portion of the external surface of said sleeve-shaped means passing also through said opening of said-blade-shaped means when said first fastening means is engaged with said second fastening means, a portion of the external surface of said sleeve-shaped means having a crosssectional area smaller than the cross-sectional area of said opening for passing through said opening of said blade-shaped means.

5. The arrangement as defined in claim 4 wherein said opening in said blade shaped means has a substantially circular-shaped portion connecting with a slotshaped portion.

6. The arrangement as defined in claim 4 including a U-shaped holder means fixed to said elongated member for holding said blade-shaped means and said elongated member with said sleeve-shaped means assembled thereto.

7. The arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein said head portion has a shoulder abutting against said spring means. 

1. A joint arrangement for pivotally joining two elements comprising, in combination, a substantially elongated member with first fastening means at one end; sleeve-shaped means movable along the length of said elongated member and having second fastening means engageable with said first fastening means; and spring means in contact with the external surface of said sleeveshaped means and urging said second fastening means to be spaced at a predetermined distance from said first fastening means, the external surface along the axis of said elongated member being exposed when said first fastening means is spaced from said second fastening means, said external surface of said elongated member being substantially within said sleeve-shaped means when said first fastening means is engaged with said second fastening means, the external surface of said sleeve-shaped means having a greater dimension than the external surface of said elongated member, said elongated member comprising a pin-shaped member, said first fastening means comprises a threaded portion at one end of said pin-shaped member, said sleeve-shaped means having a head-shaped portion, said second fastening means comprising a threaded portion within said head portion of said sleeve-shaped means, one enD of said sleeve-shaped means having an opening smaller in diameter than said threaded portion of said first fastening means for abutting against said first fastening means when said first fastening means is spaced from said second fastening means at said predetermined distance, for preventing the disengagement of said elongated member from said sleeveshaped means.
 2. The arrangement as defined in claim 1 including holder means for fixedly holding said elongated member.
 3. The arrangement as defined in claim 2 wherein said spring means comprises a compression spring abutting at one end said holder means.
 4. The arrangement as defined in claim 1 including blade-shaped means having an opening passing over the exterior of said elongated member a portion of the external surface of said sleeve-shaped means passing also through said opening of said blade-shaped means when said first fastening means is engaged with said second fastening means, a portion of the external surface of said sleeve-shaped means having a cross-sectional area smaller than the cross-sectional area of said opening for passing through said opening of said blade-shaped means.
 5. The arrangement as defined in claim 4 wherein said opening in said blade shaped means has a substantially circular-shaped portion connecting with a slot-shaped portion.
 6. The arrangement as defined in claim 4 including a U-shaped holder means fixed to said elongated member for holding said blade-shaped means and said elongated member with said sleeve-shaped means assembled thereto.
 7. The arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein said head portion has a shoulder abutting against said spring means. 